Hot-water-circulating system.



l. PATENTEDYEB. 5, 1907. U. G. PBGK. HOT WATER CIRGULATING SYSTEM..

APPLIO-ATION FILED 0012.31, 1904.

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@NITE STATES ATENT FFIE,

HOT-WATER-CIRCULATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed October 3l, 1904. Serial No. 230,882.

To 1J/Z whom, it T11/ay cm1/cern:

Beit known that I, CAssrUs CARROLL IEox, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Hot-Vater-Circulating System, of which the following is a specification sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to hot-Water heating circuits, and consists of both steam and water heating apparatus so arranged and operated as to effect a positive and rapid circulation of the heat-vehicle through the heatingcircuit in an automatic manner, as hereinafter described.

The objects sought and attained are the advantages which result from mechanicallyforced circulation of water through a heating-circuit as distinguished from a natural, or gravity, circulation, and eifectingthe oircul ation automatically without employment of working mechanism which requires personal attention, such as would be needed for pumps, injectors, or other power-moved mechanism, and practically without waste of steam, wa-

g ter, or heat from the system.

The invention is applicable and adapted to nearly all situations where a hot-water heating-circuit is suitable.

This application refers to suitable mechanism for carrying out the system of circulating hot water which is further shown and described in my concurrent application for patent on method, Serial No. 218,730, iiled July 29, 1904.

In the accompanying drawings like parts in the gures are represented. by the same letters. Feathered arrows indicate the direction of steam circulation, and unfeathered arrows indicate the flow of water.

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation showing the several parts of my heating system in operative relation, the iioors of the building being shown in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a vertical i central cross-section of the circulation-regulator shown in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale.

In Fig. 1, A indicates a steam-boiler, which may be of any ordinary design, broken line a denoting the water-level in the boiler. B is y the hot-water-supply pipe which conveys water from boiler A to radiators C. D is the return-pipe from water-radiators C. F is a pipe supplying steam from boiler A to the steam-space of circulation-regulator E2 to water-storage and steam-condensing chamber L, here shown as a cylinder, but typifying any convenient form of combined water-receiver and steam-condensing surface, and to radiator C2.

G, Fig. 2, is a steam-stop valve in steamsupply pipe F and is operated by the magnets k c, which are energized by an electric circuit having contact-points n n', electric connection being made and broken by rise and fall of ioat I, operating, through its attachedlever, the connected exterior lever N, which touches contact-point 'n at the highest point of its stroke and point n at the lowest point of its stroke.

The operation of the system is as follows: When steam-pressure is first formed in boiler A sufliciently above pressure of the atmosphere, it forces water out through the circuitsupply pipe B into radiators C return-pipe D, and condensing-radiator C2, from which it fiows equally into regulator E2 and cylinder L through pipe d. The check-valve shown in pipe D opens toward the boiler and prevents escape of water from the boiler. 'Water will flow through the heating system as described until it has sufliciently filled cylinder L and regulator E2 to raise float I to the position shown in Fig. 2, where exterior arm N makes electrical connection with contactpoint n, and thus energizes magnet 7c, which draws valve-lever g4 into contact with said magnet and opens steam-valve G. This admits steam direct from the boiler to steamsp ace in the regulator-chamber e above waterline w and to the corresponding steam-space in cylinder L and also to the upper part of radiator C2, thus equalizing steam-pressure in the boiler with that in the said three steamwater receptacles, under which condition the circuit-water will flow by gravity from the regulator, cylinder, and connecting waterpipes into the boiler until float I has sunk so low that exterior arm N touches contactpoint n', thus energizing magnet le and drawing valve lever g into contact therewith,

which movement of said lever closes steamvalve G. Steam from the boiler being in this way shut off, condensation immediately commences in steam-space e of regulator E2 and in the steam-space of cylinder L and the portion of radiator C2 above the connection with return-pipe D, thus removing steampressure and tending to create more or less vacuum in the steam-space. This allows steam-pressure in the boiler to again force water through the circuit, as previously de- IOO ITO

scribed, and so on in endless cycle. Vater is prevented from returning to the boiler by the outwardly-opening check-valve cl3. Checkvalve d is not required, except When the return connection of radiator C2 is elevated considerably above the supply connection and even then may be dispensed With. For controlling the circulation of Water through radiators C a single valve on either the supply or the return branch pipe Will answer but When it is desired to arrange for cutting out a radiator from the system to provide for any needful repairs a valve is connected into both the branch supply and the branch return, as shown. A stop-valve is best provided in pipe F near the boiler, as shown, to alloW of shutting ofil steam from the system Whenever desirable, and the supply-pipes and the return-pipes of the system usually have stop-valves, as also shown, for cutting orf communication with the boiler when for any reason it is desirable to do so. Regulator and cylinderL are set on a proper level with respect toeachother, so the Water-level in each shall correspond and be suitable for operating iioat I.

rIhe Water capacity of cylinder L or equivalent steam-Water chamber Will determine the frequency of opening and closing steamsupply valve G', and one of the principal objects of this chamber is to reduce the number of intermittent discharges for a given amount of Water circulation in order to malre the iloW of Water through the system as continuous as practicable and provide for minimum Wear on the moving parts of the regulator, the proportions oi' conducting-pipes being such as to eflect quick discharge or' Water from cylinder' L. The special purpose of radiator C2 is to provide a considerable amount oi' steam-condensing surface WhereWith to induce by rapid condensation of steam as much circulation of Water through the heating-circuit as may be desired. In case a relatively large amount of steam-condensing surface is embodied in the design of chamber L the condensing-radiator C2 can be dispensed With or used as a Water-iilled radiator. Also it Will be seen that while usually most convenient to locate regulator E2 and cylinder L near the point of heat-supply theymay be otherwise placed, as at the top or mtermediately between the top and bottom of the heating-circuit, Without materially afl'ecting the operation of the parts or of the system as a Whole, such location being essentially a matter of convenience.

I do not coniine myself to the exact arrangement or construction of parts shoWn in the drawings, as these may be variously departed from Without altering the essential features of my invention as herein described, the system being adapted not only to heating buildings, but to almost every situation Where hot-Water circulation is suitable and l varying local conditions require differing disposition and proportions of apparatus.

The principal advantages of this system are that no more radiation is required than in case of low-pressure steam-heating, While supply-pipes and return-pipes may be even smaller and can be run Without reference to level; radiators, as C, can be kept at any desired temperature by closing or opening more or less either one or both of the radiator valves; there is no trouble from air-pockets, and operation of the system is noiseless and automatic. In case steam-pressure falls in the boiler so as to be inadequate for forcing circulation to the highest point in the heatingcircuit-as, for instance, over night-the circulation will automatically start in the morning as soon as su'llicient steam-pressure eX- ists to counterbalance the Weight of a column of Water reaching from the boiler to the top of the heating-circuit.

It Will be seen that chamber L is a radiator and that its radiant heat can and, in fact, usually should be utilized for heating air in Warming a building, C2 being a secondary radiator supplying additional radiating-surface to expedite condensation of steam, and thereby increase the volume of Water which can be circulated in a given time, While at the same time it is utilized as eilicient heatingsurface.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent, is-

1. In a hot-Water heating system, a steamgenerator, a circuit of pipes connected with the Water-space of said generator, means of preventing flow in one direction in said circuit, a chamber in said circuit, a steam-supply irom the generator to the chamber, means for intermittently opening and closing said steam-supply in correspondence with the change from one Water-level to another Water-level in said chamber, whereby Water is circulated through the circuit, and means of condensing steam admitted to said chamber.

2. In a hot-Watercirculating system, a steam-generator, a circuit of pipes connected with the Water-space of said generator, means for preventing flow in one direction in said circuit, a chamber in said circuit, a steam-supply from the generator to the chamber, means 'for intermittently opening and closing said steam-supply in correspondence With the change from one Water-level to another Water-level in said chamber, Whereby Water is circulated through the circuit, and means of condensing within the heatingcircuit steam admitted to said chamber.

3. In a hot-Water heating system, the combination of the steam-generator, a circuit of pipes containing a radiator connected With the steam-space in said generator, means for preventing i'loW in one direction in said circuit, a steam-supply from the generator to the radiator, means for intermittently open- IOO IIO

ing and closing said steam-supply in correspondence with the change from one waterlevel to another water-level in said radiator, whereby water is circulated through the circuit.

4. In a hot-water-circulating system, the combination 0i' the steam-generator, a waterchamber, a supplypipe for said chamber connected into the returnrpipe ot the heatingcircuit, an extension ot said return-pipe to the water-space oi the steam-generali r, means of preventing outflow trom the generator through said `return-pipe, a steam connection from said generator to said chamber,

and a lloat for intermittently opening said steam connection when the water in said chamber rises to a predetermined level, and for closing said connection when the water falls to a predetermined level, whereby wat er is circulated through the circuit.

5. ln ahot-water-circulating system, the con'ibination ot the steam-generator, a radiator, a supply-pipe tor said radiator connected to the waterespace of said generator, a returnpipe from said radiator to the generator, means tor preventing the 'flow in one direction in the circuitci said supply and return pipes, a steam connection from said generator to said radiator, and means for intermittently opening said steam connection when the water in said radiator rises to a predetermined level, and for closing said connection when the waterfalls to a predetermined level, whereby water is circulated through the circuit.

6. In a hot-water heating-circuit, the combination of a steam-boiler, a circuit ci supply and return pipes and radiators connected thereto, a check-valve in the supply-pipe set to prevent flow of water therein to the boiler, a check-valve in the return-pipe oi the circuit set to prevent ilow ot water therein from the boiler, a circulation-regulator having a combined steam and water cham ber, an independent radiator having its lower portion connected with 'the water-space ot the regulator, steam connection between the steam-space of the boiler and the steamspace ot the regulator andot the radiator, a valve in said steam connection and means for automatically operating said valve by change of water-level in the regulator so as simultaneously and suddenly to admit steam-pressure to the regulator and to the radiator when the water rises to a predetermined level in the regulator, and suddenly to close said valve when the water-level sinks to a predetermined point in the regulator, for the purpose set vforth.

7. In a hot-water-circulating system, a circuit of pipes and radiators, a steam-generator having its water-space connected to the supply and to the return of the heating-circuit, in combination with a water-circulating regulator having a combined steam and water chamber connected with the steamsupply and with the water-return, a steamradiator in the heating-circuit through which all water ot the circuit flows, a steam connection between the regulator and the steamradiator, a valve in the steam-supply pipe to the regulator and the radiator and mechanism for operating the valve, said mechanism being adapted to be actuated by a change of water-level in the regulator, as and for the purpose specified.

S. In a hot-water heating system, the combination o" a steam-generator having a -water-space and a steamrspace,I a pipe-circuit in communication therewith, a combined steam and water radiator in the return oi the circuit, a circulation-regulator constructed with a combined steam and water chamber, a water-storage chamber, said regulator and said water-storage ch amber being connected with the return of the circuit, a steam. connection from the steam-generator' to the steam-space ot said radiator, to said regulator, and to said water-storage chamber, a valve in said connection, and mechanism tor operating the valve actuated by change ot water-level in the regulator, causing steam and water to be alternately admitted to the regulator, to the radiator, and

to the storage-chamber whereb the water` storage chamber' is filled and emptied of botlL water and steam synchronously with the regulator, tor the object speciiied.

CASSIUS` CARROLL PECK. Witnesses JAMES MALLEY, l WILLIAM W. WHITMORE. 

